Abdullah Gül University

The evaluation of unknown states for a given quantum system is one of the key problems in quantum information processing. The most efficient method of state characterization is quantum state tomography (QST), where the full-density matrices are reconstructed from the experimental measurements or numerical simulations performed on quantum states. The improvement of the computational performance in quantum state tomography and its related problems is a challenging task for modern theoretical physics. The general scheme of computing deals with the input information that goes into a quantum reservoir through a recurrent evolution. After the evolution, the final output is obtained as the linear combination of the readout elements. In our approach, the quantum reservoir is modeled with the Lindbladian equation. The control over performance is made by the coherent coupling parameter between the input quantum state and the reservoir. The control feedback algorithm is represented with the set of Kolesnikov’s target attractor algorithm to drive certain parameters of quantum state tomography, particularly, the outputs for the density matrix. Here we formulate the target attractor feedback in a discrete form to improve the training performance of QST and then develop a basic example of the state tomography for the quantum system of spin 1/2. We conclude by mentioning the basic features of our algorithm and its possible development.

Interest in vibration energy harvesting have been growing recently for various applications. One of the major development goals for vibration energy harvesters has been improvement in energy conversion efficiency. To pursue that goal, one of the main approaches has been to broaden the spectra of harvesters. Employment of nonlinear springs, such as curved-beam hinges, has proven to be effective for that purpose. The main contribution of the current study is to introduce a lateral taper to the curved beam so as to further optimize the harvester performances. Via numerical analysis by using stochastic differential equations, the study shows that at 0.05g of vibration strength, tapered curved-beam hinges can result in higher electric power output than the non-tapered ones. Deformation-induced stress was taken into consideration as well, in reference to the fracture strength of the material (single-crystal silicon). At lower vibration strength (0.02g), spring nonlinearity becomes weaker, and as a result, the narrowest curved-beam hinge produces the highest output power. Overall, the current study demonstrates that tapering of the curved beam can be a useful addition in the vibration energy harvester design.

Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy caused by disorders in stem cell differentiation and excessive proliferation resulting in clonal expansion of dysfunctional cells called myeloid blasts. The combination of chemotherapeutic agents with natural product-based molecules is promising in the treatment of AML. In this study, we aim to investigate the anti-cancer effect of Rapamycin and Niacin combination on THP-1 and NB4 AML cell lines. Methods and Results The anti-proliferative effects of Rapamycin and Niacin were determined by MTT cell viability assay in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The combination indexes were calculated by isobologram analysis. Furthermore, apoptosis was investigated by Annexin-V/Propidium Iodide(PI) double staining and cell cycle distribution was measured by PI staining. The expression levels of autophagy-related proteins were detected by western blotting. The combination of Rapamycin and Niacin synergistically decreased cell viability of AML cell lines. The combination treatment induced the apoptotic cell population of THP-1 and NB4 by 4.9-fold and 7.3-fold, respectively. In THP-1 cells, the cell cycle was arrested at the G2/M phase by 10% whereas the NB4 cells were accumulated at the G0/G1 phase. The combination treatment decreased Akt and p-Akt expression. Besides, the ATG7 expression was reduced by combination treatment on THP-1 cells. Similarly, the ATG5 level was downregulated in NB4 cells. The level of LC3B-II/LC3B-I, which is an indicator of autophagy flux, was upregulated in THP-1 and NB4 cells. Conclusion Although further studies are required, the combination of Rapamycin and Niacin combats cell proliferation by inducing cellular apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and autophagy activation.

Oily water negatively affects both land and marine ecosystems. To combat this, membrane production can effectively treat oil waste and recycle over 90% of it. This study compares the influence of SiO2 nanoparticles on oil rejection in two types of membranes: polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polysulfone (PSF). The SiO2 NPs are characterized by FTIR, SEM analysis, and zeta potential measurements. SiO2 NPs embedded PSF and PVDF membranes were characterized by FTIR, SEM analysis, contact angle, water permeability, oil rejection measurements, and recycling experiments. The results of the experiments showed that oil rejection reached maximum values of 92.2% for 2 wt% PSF/SiO2, and 94.1% for 2 wt% PVDF/SiO2 membranes. The experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of SiO₂ nanoparticles enhances the oil rejection efficiency of two distinct membrane types, exhibiting notable performance disparities contingent on the selected membrane material. This methodology achieves a recycling rate of over 90% for oil waste, signifying a substantial advancement in environmental protection and sustainable development. Consequently, the membrane production technique is regarded as an efficacious approach for the management and recycling of oil waste.

Background Although multiple qualitative studies have explored participants' experiences of behavioural activation (BA) for unipolar depression, none have investigated the experiences of BA in people with bipolar depression. This is of particular interest because qualitative studies concerning the experience of receiving therapy can help inform the theory of change underpinning the intervention. Aim The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and perspectives of individuals with bipolar disorder who received a course of one‐to‐one BA for bipolar depression. We sought to explore participants' experience of the effects of BA therapy, both proximally and distally. Method Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nine individuals meeting research diagnostic criteria for bipolar I or II disorder who had received up to 20 sessions of BA adapted for bipolar depression. Thematic analysis using a framework approach was used to explore and describe the experiences of participants. Results Participants' perspectives on the impact of therapy were categorized under four subthemes: client behaviour inside and outside sessions, changes in clients' perspectives, the impact on symptoms and impact on life and functioning. Conclusions Participants' accounts of the impact of therapy were broadly consistent with the theory underpinning a behavioural approach. Participants described a central role for perspective change, and particularly increased acceptance of the self and mood states, as facilitating behavioural changes and more distal benefits. Process evaluations embedded in future trials may include quantitative measures of key processes described by our participants, as well as those clearly implied by the behavioural theory of depression.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) detection suffers from slow analysis time and high costs, along with the need for specificity. While state-of-the-art electrochemical biosensors are cost-efficient and easy to implement, their sensitivity and analysis time still require improvement. In this work, we present a paper-based electrochemical biosensor utilizing magnetic core-shell Fe2O3@CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (MQDs) to achieve fast detection, low cost, and high sensitivity. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as the detection technique, the biosensor achieved a limit of detection of 2.7 × 102 CFU/mL for E. coli bacteria across a concentration range of 102–108 CFU/mL, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.5781%. From an optical perspective, as E. coli concentration increased steadily from 104 to 107 CFU/mL, quantum dot fluorescence showed over 60% lifetime quenching. This hybrid biosensor thus provides rapid, highly sensitive E. coli detection with a fast analysis time of 30 min. This study, which combines the detection advantages of electrochemical and optical biosensor systems in a graphite-based paper sensor for the first time, has the potential to meet the needs of point-of-care applications. It is thought that future studies that will aim to examine the performance of the production-optimized, portable, graphite-based sensor system on real food samples, environmental samples, and especially medical clinical samples will be promising.

Identity security and counterfeiting assume a critical importance in the digitized world. An effective approach to addressing these issues is the use of physically unclonable functions (PUFs). The overarching challenge is a simultaneous combination of extremely high encoding capacity, stable operation, practical fabrication, and a widely available readout mechanism. Herein this challenge is addressed by designing an optical PUF via exploiting the thickness‐dependent structural color formation in nanoscopic films of ZnO. The structural coloration ensures authentication using widely available bright‐field‐based optical readout, whereas the metal oxide provides a high degree of structural stability. True physical randomness in spatial position is achieved by physical vapor deposition of ZnO through stencil masks that are fabricated by pore formation in polycarbonate membranes via photothermal processing of stochastically positioned plasmonic nanoparticles. Structural coloration emerges from thin film interference as confirmed via simulation studies. The rich color variation and stochastic definition of domain size and geometry result in chaotic features with an encoding capacity that approaches (6.4 × 10⁵)(2752×2208). Deep learning‐based authentication is further demonstrated by transforming these chaotic features into unbreakable codes without field limitations. This ultra‐rich encoding capacity, coupled with outstanding thermal and chemical stability, forms a new cutting edge for state‐of‐the‐art PUF‐based encoding systems.

Given that academic integrity is an important component in academic writing courses, outlining the types of academic misconduct that are mostly encountered in EAP settings along with the possible causes can lead to possible solutions and suggestions. Thus, in this chapter, we depict the types of academic dishonesty in EAP settings based mainly on writing skills and portray the possible causes along with the attainable suggestions. Studies on academic integrity show that plagiarism is the most common type of academic misconduct. Language barrier appears to be the main reason, and literature supports that international students have a greater tendency to plagiarize due to feeling incompetent in the target language. Moreover, with advancements in remote learning methodologies and technological tools, learners have a propensity to use AI tools while creating their assignments, believed to be a problem beyond plagiarism. Lastly, contract cheating is another common type of academic dishonesty in EAP settings. The reasons are highlighted as discontent about the setting of the instruction and learning and the attitude of learners toward various ways of cheating. For all these problems and causes, a penalty would be regarded as a possible solution or suggestion. However, instead of focusing on the results of academic dishonesty and sanctions, solutions should be centered on the pedagogic policies developed to prevent academic misconduct.

The effects of flower-shaped hybrid nano biocatalyst (hFe-NFs) from coordination between horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme and Fe2+ ions on the free-radical polymerization reactions of three different vinyl monomers (styrene, methylmethacrylate and acrylamide) were investigated. Polymerizations of styrene and methylmethacrylate (MMA) were performed under emulsion conditions using three different surfactants in the presence of acetylacetone (AcAc) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) initiator. Polymerization of water soluble acrylamide was accomplished under surfactant-free media. According to the obtained outcomes, hFe-NFs exhibited higher catalytic activity towards polymerization of vinyl monomers compared to the free-HRP enzyme in terms of yields and the number average molecular weights (Mn) of the synthesized polymers. hFe-NFs also demonstrated very high thermal stability. While optimum polymerization of styrene was achieved at room temperature (RT), the highest polymerization yields for acrylamide and MMA were respectively accomplished at 70 and 60 ºC in which free-HRP enzyme loses its catalytic activity. Preparation of the flower-shaped hFe-NFs, therefore, enables inexpensive and stable catalyst system for free-radical polymerization of vinyl monomers compared to free-HRP enzyme. Increasing catalytic activity and stability of hFe-NFs at higher reaction temperatures are very crucial for utilization of these types of catalysts in both scientific and industrial purposes.

This review explores the diverse applications of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) beyond its traditional role as a bioinsecticide. Bt produces a variety of compounds with distinct chemical structures and biological activities. These include antimicrobial agents effective against plant pathogens and bioactive compounds that promote plant growth through the production of siderophores, hormones, and enzymes. Additionally, Bt’s industrial potential is highlighted, encompassing biofuel production, bioplastics, nanoparticle synthesis, food preservation, anticancer therapies, and heavy metal bioremediation. This critical analysis emphasizes recent advancements and applications, providing insights into Bt’s role in sustainable agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental management.

Ultrasensitive quantum detection of external weak signals at the nanoscale levels can be implemented in a variety of forms. Here we discuss different feedback control algorithms for the sensing scenario based on the semiclassical Tavis-Cummings model for nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers located in the diamond. In the frame of this model, the sensing elements are considered as non-interacting two-level quantum systems, distribute in-homogeneously due to heterogeneous local magnetic and strain environments. The dynamical system of ordinary differential equations corresponding to the model contains the set of control parameters: the detunings between the drive frequency and the cavity frequency and between the drive frequency and NV transition frequency, as well as the relaxation coefficients. Correspondingly, it opens a gate for developing feedback control algorithms for tracking the cavity field, the income signal, and the reflection signal in the model sensing system. To study the principal features of algorithmic feedback we formulate the simplified ’toy model’ for the Tavis-Cummings system and investigate alternative schemes of feedback (gradient methods, target attractor methods) to compare their pros and cons for effective control for nitrogen-vacancy-cavity quantum sensing based on different choices of the control parameter set. This work was supported by the Research Fund of Abdullah Gül University; Project Number: BAP FBA-2023-176 ’Geribesleme kontrol algoritmaları ile kubit tabanlı sensörlerin verimliliğinin artırılması’. The paper was presented at PhysCon2024.

We discuss the model of a quantum bit driven by an external classical field without decay in the rotating wave approximation. In such a model, the whole evolution of the qubit states takes place on the Bloch sphere. We reformulate the model as a unitless set of real ordinary differential equations and use the normalized external field as a feedback control parameter. The closed-loop algorithm is designed in the form of the speed gradient, driving the dynamical system towards minimizing a given nonnegative goal function expressed via the qubit variables. We investigate the achievability of the control goal, and focus on the most important features of the speed gradient algorithm applied to a quantum system in comparison with classical systems. Our approach is valid for the control over the ground and excited population levels, and over the qubit phase variables. The paper was presented at PhysCon2024.

Though some empirical works have shown the determinants of economic growth, the research work on the impact of climate change (proxied by carbon emissions and ecological footprint) on economic growth is still scanty especially in developing countries. The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-8 and SDG-13) requires a comprehensive analysis of the nexus between climate change and economic growth. Therefore, this study fills the literature gap by investigating the impact of climate change on economic growth in Malaysia (a country that obtains most of her energy from fossil fuels) and Nigeria (a country that obtains most of her energy from renewable resources) during the 1980–2021 period. Given the intricate relationship among climate change, economic growth and globalization, this study also determines the moderating role of globalization (and its dimensions) on the impact of climate change on economic growth. It employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach to estimate the parameters. The linear model shows that climate change has a negative impact on economic growth in Malaysia and Nigeria albeit the magnitude is larger in Malaysia. The interaction model indicates that globalization and some of its dimensions favorably moderate the detrimental impact of carbon emissions on economic growth but cannot moderate the impact of ecological footprint on economic growth in Malaysia and Nigeria. The marginal effect of carbon emissions on economic growth varies with the level of globalization. This study highlights the implications of the findings and proposes some policy options.

The funerary structures known as kümbets, developed during the Anatolian Seljuk period (1077–1307), represent a distinctive architectural typology. This study first demonstrates that each Anatolian Seljuk kümbet is unique in its sectional geometry. It then employs statistical methods to analyze these structures, with the aim to understand their architectural styles and formation principles through measurable geometric features. The scope includes the analysis of 56 section drawings of 67 freestanding kümbets. The methodology involves data collection and preparation, feature selection, and dataset refinement using a box plot technique, followed by correlation analysis. Among the 28 correlations analyzed, 18 are statistically significant. One of the strongest correlations indicates a strong inverse relationship between the cap's inner angle and cap height (r = − 0.93), while the weakest is a positive relationship between cap height and interior wall height (r = 0.27).